Fl/Lt. Roy John Montrowe 'Momo' NZ/411925 RNZAF

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We would like anyone who served with either of this crew or knew them to contact us with their story. With thanks to Alan Scouller, his friend, for compiling this information.

Sadly we have to announce the passing of Roy - at about 19:15 hrs on September 28th, 2017 from complications arising from an illness of influenza. He was 95 years old. He is survived by his son Philip Montrowe, his daughter Vayle Hallam, his granddaughter Hermione Montrowe, his granddaughter Sarah Hallam, and his great-grandson Khye Skoda.

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Fl/Lt. Roy John Momo NZ/411925 RNZAF (name later changed to Montrowe in November 1946) served with 692 Squadron from August 1944 until March 1945, carrying out some 50 operations. His total service with the RNZAF amounted to 5 years, 3 of which he served with Bomber Command.

Left: Roy Montrowe, pictured in 2014 age just 92! (courtesy Alan Scouller)

His DFC was awarded in February 1945 (London Gazette 16th February 1945)

’This officer has completed numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and determination to duty.’ His first tour was with 148 Squadron RAF flying the Wellington Bomber in the Middle East, flying some 42 sorties. He flew with BDT Training flight during his ‘rest’ tour.

On leaving the service he continued to fly as a pilot with modern jets with Air New Zealand, retiring as a senior pilot.

692 Squadron - 8 Group - Bomber Command

Above: Harry Hughes at St. Ives 2015 (courtesy Alan Scouller)

Operations flown by: Pilot: Fl/Lt. Roy Montrowe DFC. Nav: F/O. Harry Hughes DFC DFM.

August 26th 1944 - Kiel
372 Lancasters with 10 Mosquitoes taking part. 17 Lancasters lost.

August 27th 1944 - Mannheim
30 Mosquitoes taking part. 3 Mosquitoes lost 2 from 692 Squadron 1 from 608 squadron.
Mosquito ML695 Flown by F/O. Sydney G.A. Warner 169580 RAFVR killed. His navigator, F/O.W.K. McGregor survived as a PoW. Mosquito MM138 Flown by Fl/Lt. T.H. Galloway DFM and his navigator, Sgt. J. Morrell survived after a take off accident.

September 1st 1944 - Frankfurt

September 5th 1944 - Hanover
43 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost

September 7th 1944 - Karlsruhe
41 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation, 1 crashed from 608 Squadron on return - no casualties.

September 8th 1944 - Nuremberg
45 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation

September 23rd 1944 - Bochum
38 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

September 26th 1944 - Frankfurt

50 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

September 28th 1944 - Brunswick

28 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

September 30th 1944 - Hamburg
46 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 1st 1944 - Brunswick
48 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 3rd 1944 - Kassel
43 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 5th 1944 - Berlin
20 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 27th 1944 - Berlin
60 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 28th 1944 - Cologne
428 Lancasters, 286 Halifaxes, 19 Mosquitoes taking part. 4 Halifax and 3 Lancasters lost.

October 30th 1944 - Berlin
62 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

October 31st 1944 - Cologne
331 Lancasters, 144 Halifaxes and 18 Mosquitoes taking part. 1 Lancaster lost.

692 Squadron Mosquitoe being loaded with a cookie - 4,000 lb bomb. (courtesy IWM)

November 2nd 1944 - Osnabruck
42 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

November 5th 1944 - Stuttgart
65 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

November 18th 1944 - Welsbaden
31 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

November 23rd 1944 - Hanover
61 Mosquitoes taking part - 1 lost on operation from 128 Squadron.

November 25th 1944 - Nuremburg
68 Mosquitoes taking part - 1 lost on operation from 128 Squadron.

November 27th 1944 - Osnabruck

November 29th 1944 - Hanover
67 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

November 30th 1944 - Hamburg
53 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 2nd 1944 - Giessen
66 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 7th 1944 - Cologne
53 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 11th 1944 - Duisberg (Day)
233 Lancasters, with 5 Mosquitoes to bomb the Urft Dam, no losses, dam hit but not breached.

December 11th 1944 - Hanover
38 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 15th 1944 - Hanover

62 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 18th 1944 - Nuremburg
40 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 23rd 1944 - Siegberg (Day)
40 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 30th 1944 - Hanover
68 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

December 31st 1944 - Berlin
77 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

January 1st 1945 - Hanover
27 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

January 4th 1945 - Berlin
66 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

January 5th 1945 - Berlin
69 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

January 17th 1945 - Magdeburg
320 Halifaxes, 44 Lancasters 7 Mosquitoes taking part - 17 Halifaxes lost.

January 18th 1945 - Duisberg

692 Squadron - taken October 1944. We have typed out all the names in order that relatives searching for a photo will come across this page. This photo is available at a higher resolution free of charge to relatives - please contact us via the add info button.

Rear row: F/O. Melbourne, F/O. Scholes, F/O. P.B. Doran (5), Fl/Sgt. Clark, F/O. Girvan, F/O. Massie, W/O. Archibold, Fl/Sgt. Vere, W/O. Crockes, W/O. Carton, Sgt. Ketley, Fl/Sgt. L.G. Williams, Fl/Sgt. Sutherland (2), F/O. Harker, F/O. Tubbs, F/O. S.P. Brunt (3), Sgt. J.A.Mc. Sturrock (1), Sgt. A.T. Wood, Sgt. Stockwell, Sgt. D. Lunn (6), F/O. Boothright, Sgt. Beckett.

Centre row: Fl/Lt. Drinkall, Fl/Lt. Hill, F/O. Earl, Fl/Lt. Kitchen, P/O. Maxwell, Sgt. Fossitt, W/O. Way, Sgt. Withers, Fl/Lt. Triggs, F/O. Wood, F/O. W.B. Smith, F/O. P.J.Q. Back, F/O. Wild, F/O. Hughes, P/O. Howell, Sgt. Hooper, Sgt. I.L.H. Ramage, P/O. A.A. Chandler, F/O. Hammersley, Sgt. J. Morrell, F/O. D.T.N. Smith, F/O. J.P. Morgan (4), F/O. Simpkin.

Front row: Fl/Lt. Northover, Fl/Lt. Momo, Fl/Lt. Huggett, Fl/Lt. Menage, Fl/Lt. J.A. Perry, Fl/Lt. Galbraith, Fl/Lt. Earnshaw, Fl/Lt. Crow, Fl/Lt. T.H. Galloway, Sq/Ldr. Brodie, Gp/Cpt. Menaul, W/Cdr. Northrop, Sq/Ldr. Wadsworth, Fl/Lt. J.E.L. Gover, Fl/Lt. W.G. Lockhart, Fl/Lt. Batten, Fl/Lt. G.D.T. Nairn (7), Fl/Lt. C.H. Burbridge, F/O. Mepham, Sq/Ldr. Hunter, Fl/Lt. Bradbury, Fl/Lt. G.R. Green, F/O. Horner.

Notes on this photo:

1: 19 year old Sgt. John Alexander McKenzie Sturrock 1800054 RAFVR from Wood Green, Middlesex, England - killed 15th January 1945.
2: 26 year old Fl/Sgt. Roger Joseph Sutherland R/177954 RCAF from Manitoba, Canada - killed 17th December 1944.
3: 22 year old Fl/Lt. Sidney Percival Brunt 133372 RAFVR from Sussex, England - killed 17th December 1944.
4: 24 year old John Preener Morgan NZ/413881 RNZAF from Canterbury, New Zealand - killed 15th January 1945
5: F/O. Patrick Bryan Doran 144626 RAFVR - killed 07th February 1945
6: 23 year old Daniel Lunn 1482190 RAFVR from Rotherham, England - killed 01st January 1945
7: Fl/Lt. George Douglas Tolley Nairn 125980 RAFVR from Westminster, London, England - killed 01st January 1945.

Left: Celebrating his 95th year - April 2017 (courtesy Alan Scouller)

January 21st 1945 - Cologne

January 29th 1945 - Berlin
59 Mosquitoes taking part, 50 bombing the target - none lost on operation.

February 1st 1945 - Berlin
122 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

February 3rd 1945 - Wiesbaden
495 Lancasters, 12 Mosquitoes taking part - 3 Lancasters lost.

February 4th 1945 - Hanover
50 Mosquitoes taking part - 1 lost from 128 Squadron.

February 7th 1945 - Mainz
16 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

February 12th 1945 - Stuttgart
72 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

February 13th 1945 - Magdeburg
71 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

February 14th 1945 - Frankfurt
8 Mosquitoes taking part - none lost on operation.

Above: now with his Légion d'honneur

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KTY 09.04.2017 - New photo added